James w



J. W. FOX.

FLANGE OILER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, l9l8.-

- 1,315,487. PatentedSept. 9,1919.

$225667 Y fnueniok f M M,

JAMES W. FOX, 0]? JULIET, ILLINOIS.

FLANGE-OILER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

Application filed April 1, 1918. Serial No.22 5,984.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES W. FOX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Joliet, in the county of Will and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flange-Oilers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to flange oilers for locomotives. One object of this invention is to maintain lubricated in a novel and im proved manner the flange of a wheel.

Another object is the production of means for supporting the lubricator yieldingly with respect to the locomotive frame.

Another object is to improve flange lubricators for successful commercial use.

These and other objects are accomplished by providing an oil container adapted for connection to the frame of a locomotive preferably by a spring strap and a novel valve, he stem of which is in engagement with the flange of a wheel.

By reference to the drawings the above recited and other objects will be apparent, wherein a Figure 1 is an elevation of the preferred embodiment of an oiler on the frame of the wheel, a fragmentary portion of a wheel and frame being shown.

Fig. 2 is a view of the device looking at the right hand end of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the preferred embodiment of my inventlon, the parts being slightly enlarged. t

Fig. 4c is a vertical section taken at 90 degrees to the section in Fig. 3. t

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a fragmentary portion of the casing showing the pre- 'ferred arrangement of the valvefor controlling the oil outlet.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 and Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig. 3. In the drawings, a portion 10 of a locomotive side frame is shown, the same being supported on wheels 11, a portion of one of which is shown in outline. The oiler embodying the preferred form of my invention comprises an oil container 12 preferably cylindrical and formed of pliable material such as a piece of hose and is supported on a Ushaped spring stirrup 13, one arm 13 of which is suitably connected at 14: to the casing 12. The other arm 15:) of the stirrup is somewhat longer than the arm 13 and is provided with a strap 15 adapted to extend of Fig. 4,

around a portion ofthe frame 10 of the locomotive, as best seen in Fig. 2. The strap 151s secured to the side 13 of the stirrup by bolts or other suitable fastenings. By

this arrangement it will be noted that the oiler may be easily applied to or removed from the engine frame and may be adjusted to frames of various sizes. The resilient connection permits the lateral movement of p the oil container 12 with respect to the wheel to compensate for any play between the wheels and the frame which may occur due to irregularities. As a cover for the casing I provide a member 28 havmg an upturned slide 24 adapted to fit the arm 13 of the spring stirrup 13. Normally the cover 23 is as shown, resting on top of the casing 12 and closing the interior thereof.

It is essential in an oiler of the type described that means be provided to feed the oil to the wheel especially when the locomotive meets a curve in the track, the purpose being to oil the flanges of the wheels and to reduce friction between the rails and the flanges. The arrangement which I prefor to employ for the control of the oil comprises preferably a wooden block 16 mounted in the lower portion of the casing 12 and having. a central aperture 17 therethrough therein, as a valve. This bolt 18 has the usualhead 18 and the threaded portion 19.

The aperture 17 through the block 16 is made slightly larger than the diameter of the bolt employed as a valve. It will be seen that the bolt 18 is supported by the head 18 and because of the enlarged aperture 17, is permitted to be displaced bodily within the limits of the sizes of the apertures, or, in other words, to oscillate with the head of the bolt as acenter.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the device is mounted on the frame 10 so that the end of the bolt engages the surface of the wheel preferablygator near the flange. Because of the loose mounting of the bolt within the by moving the lock nut f 2l'upwardly ordownwardly the bolt may be held within the block 16 as tightly'or as loosely as desired, the adjustability dependmg upon the amount of oil to be fed to the wheel, the bolt being oscillated continually while the 1000- motive is in motion. I

The device operates to lubricate the wheel flange in the following manner: The parts being mounted asshown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the lower end of the bolt arranged to engage'the surface of the wheel or flange as may be desired, so that when relative movement between the wheels lland the frame 10 occurs,1which happens Whenever a ]Ql11t in the tracks is struck by the wheels or when the locomotive is rounding a curve, the bolt will be moved, the amount being determined by the position of the lock nut 21, to ermit oil to run down the threads of the bolt and be deposited on the wheel flange. By proper manipulation of the lock nut 21 a sufficient amount of oil is delivered to the wheel to permit proper lubrication thereof and at the same time acting to prevent the delivery of a quantity of oil which might interfere with the operation of the locomotive because of slipping and the like. The resilient or yieldable mounting 13 between the frame and the casing 12 will permit a suflicient amount of play between the locomotive and framewithout causing the bolt to open the valveunduly. However, it is such as not to interfere with the opening of the valve whenever there is suflieient relative movement between the wheel and the frame as occasioned when rounding curves and the like. i

I am aware that modifications of such a device are possible and such modifications I intend to include as coming within the scope V of the appended claims.

I claim 1.' In combination, alubricator container flexibly connected to an engine frame for Copies of this patent may be obtained for movement relative thereto, and a rigid member projecting from the container engaging a wheel flange and operable thereby to permit oil to flow from the container.

2. In combination, an oil container flexibly mounted adjacent a wheel andhavin an oil outlet, and a gravity valve control ing said outlet, said valve having a stem projecting in the path of said wheel and operable thereby on bodily movement thereof to open said outlet.

3. In combination, a wheel, an oiler having a valve controlled outlet, a gravity valve having a threaded stem operatively associated with the wheel, and means including a nut 0n the stem for regulating the amount of the oil delivered.

4. In combination, a wheel, and an oiler having a valve controlled outlet, and an associated gravity valve having a stem engaging the wheel for operating the valve.

5. In combination a wheel, an oiler having a valve controlled outlet and an associated valve having a stem provided with threads for engaging the wheel and conducting oil thereto.

6. In combination, a wheel, an oiler having. a valve controlled outlet, an associated valve having a stem provided with threads for'engaging the wheel and conducting oil thereto, and a nut on said stem for regulat ing the movement of the valve with respect to the outlet. I

'7. In combination, a wheel, an oiler having a valve controlled outlet, an associated valve including a bolt loosely fitting in said outlet, the head of said bolt serving to close said outlet, and. the stem of the bolt serving to conduct oil to said wheel.

8. In combination, a wheel, an oiler having a valve controlled outlet, an associated valve including a bolt loosely fitting in said outlet, the head' of said bolt serving to close said outlet, and the stem of the bolt serving to conduct oil to said wheel, and a nut on said bolt to control the flow of oil through said outlet by limiting the movement of said bolt therein.

Signed at J oliet, State of Illinois, this 21st day of March, A. D., 1918.

JALIES W. FOX.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

